I’m posting a series of a few recent paintings that will be delivered this week to two of my galleries in Toronto; XC Art Restorations and MJG Gallery. To compliment each painting here, I’ve written a couple of lines as a statement to establish a context for each piece. I feel my work is still very “accessible”, but my recent encaustics are certainly not as straight forward as my oil landscapes. I love having the chance to share my thoughts on my paintings and I do think the mini-statements add to the understanding and appreciation of the work.
Topographic, 24" x 52" triptych, encaustic, oil, image transfer on wood
This painting, “Topographic” is very much about the land with its combination of a traditional landscape in the centre panel and a specific topographical geography suggested in the outer panels. The appearance, uses and meanings of maps have always fascinated me, and I’m very excited to have found a means of incorporating them into my work. In the outer panels of this painting, I had a sense of being geologist, explorer and archeologist in one; excavating through dense layers of opaque and translucent wax to discover or reveal lakes and rivers; and in the centre, depicting the nascent scene for future navigators….
Pocahontas, 20" x 20" encaustic, oil and image transfer on wood
“Pocahontas” was inspired by the Neil Young song of the same name, the lyrics of which I’ve hand written, and hidden under layers and layers of wax. Barely discernible, but present, nevertheless. While creating this painting, I thought of the traditional native American sense of respect and unity with the land, and its contrast with the common need to control, maintain and delineate.